Love is the Real Game
Love is the Real Game ~ Chapter I "Abernathy, where's my daughter," President Snow said standing in the doorway of the Abernathy’s house, he tried looking in the building but Haymitch blocked the way. "Snow, where's my daughter," Haymitch asked, "tell me or you won’t be seeing your daughter." "She's at the Capitol, now let me talk to Sarah," the president said. "Who is it, Haymitch," Sarah called to Haymitch from the living room where she was laying on the couch reading. "It's your father, he wants to talk to you," the man called back to the president’s daughter. Sarah shot up from the couch and stormed over to her father with her hands on her hips, "where's Amy, you son of a-." Haymitch held Sarah back from harming the president and pulled her to the side," Sarah, you want to kill Snow as much as I do, why don't we go, get Amy then come back and then Snow can talk?" “I want to kill him now,” Sarah said, whining slightly, she did not care if she sounded like a child. “Remember that scar that was on my back, it was caused by Father.” Snow walked over to them and put a knife to his daughter’s throat, “you won’t be killing me today, Sarah.” The woman looked at Haymitch who told President Snow to put the knife down, but he did not. Sarah shot Haymitch a scared look, and then she had her father to where the knife could puncture him. It was not normal for Sarah to do that every day, but she did still have that skill from the 50th Hunger Games that was twenty-four years ago. Normally, children from the Capitol were not in the Hunger Games but Sarah was because President Snow wanted to kill her so Sarah’s name was in the girls’ reaping bowl. “Give me the knife, Sarah,” Haymitch said sternly and he got it then put it to Snow’s throat. “Take me to Amy or I’ll kill you.” Snow said that Haymitch could not kill him because he was Haymitch’s boss then Haymitch laughed, saying that President Snow was never his boss. “Do you remember who the real enemy is, Snow,” the cruel leader said nothing, “you,” Haymitch answered for the leader. Then the man asked where Amy was after removing the knife from Snow’s throat to his back, so he could answer. “She’s in the Capitol in her bedroom,” Coriolanus Snow said looking at his son-in-law, “put down the knife, lover boy.” Sarah glared at Coriolanus when he said the nickname; he still used it even though it was twenty-four years pass the meeting of the two. Haymitch gave Coriolanus two shots that knocked him out for two days then Haymitch and Sarah ran to Amy’s bedroom. Before trying to open the door, Sarah said to Haymitch, “there’s something that you need to know,” she looked into his grey eyes. “Amy was Everdeen’s child.” “What are you saying; He died five years ago, and Amy’s ten,” Haymitch asked, “did you live alone for five years?” Sarah nodded, “yes and no, I wasn’t completely alone, and I lived with Semara and Father,” she looked at the door that went to Amy’s bedroom. “Amy’s bedroom used to be mine and Semara’s.” “Catherine Semara,” Haymitch said, “I remember her, she always-” then he fell silent. A small voice said from the other side of the door, “Papa, is that you?” That voice belonged to Amy, Haymitch turned towards his daughter’s voice, “yes Amy, it’s me, your mom is here too. How long have you been locked in there?” “Ever since Grandpa left, Effie has the keys,” the ten-year-old girl answered. Haymitch told Sarah that he would go get the keys and Sarah should stay and talk to Amy. Sarah shot Haymitch a look, the man tried to ignore it, but he could not. Sarah whispered, “You will not do anything with Effie, understood?” Haymitch murmured that he understood and that he would just get the keys. Haymitch walked to Effie’s room and knocked on the door, “Abernathy?” “Ms. Trinket,” Haymitch said hearing Effie, “I’m here to get the keys,” Effie said nothing. She did not know that he was married or had a child. Effie gave Haymitch the keys, “see you later.” He walked back to Sarah and gave her the keys, “I’ve got to fix things with Effie.” The man walked back to Effie’s, Amy followed but he did not know well not until she sighed. “Amy, I’m busy, go back to Mom,” Haymitch said, putting a hand on the girl’s shoulder. The ten-year-old girl shook her head and said that she didn’t want to go back to her mom because she wanted to stay with him. Haymitch sighed, he needed to fix things with Effie, but he couldn’t do with Amy around. “Would you like to meet Effie,” Haymitch asked and the girl shook her head, Haymitch picked Amy up and said, “if you go back to your mom, I’ll give you candy.” Still the girl refused, the man ran her to Sarah and went back to Effie’s but locking the door so that Amy couldn’t follow. Haymitch knocked on his friend’s door. “Abernathy,” Effie said smiling at Haymitch, “I’d never expect to see you so soon!” “Ms. Trinket,” Haymitch said smiling at Effie, “nice dress.” Effie welcomed him into her room and asked what brought him back so soon, Haymitch’s answer was that he couldn’t stay away from Effie any longer. Effie was silent then hugged the man who hugged her back, a few moments later, Haymitch decided to tell Effie that he was married and had a daughter. They stopped hugging and Effie sat down on the couch, Haymitch stood and he said, “Effie,” he paused, the woman looked up at him, “I’m sorry, I’m married and have a daughter.” Tears flooded Effie’s eyes, she moved to her window seat and was silent, “go ahead and start throwing things at me.” Effie said nothing and did nothing, “now you never want to see me again,” Haymitch said and left, then he walked back to his friend’s room but didn’t knock on the door. Even though he didn’t knock, Effie knew he was there, sitting in the hallway. “Abernathy,” Effie said, standing in the doorway, looking at Haymitch who stayed in the hallway saying nothing. “What is it?” “I feel as if Sarah doesn’t love me, she hasn’t said so since I bought the house,” he said slowly, the woman looked at him, “I feel like she is using me for money and as a nanny for Amy.” “How long have you been married,” Effie asked. Haymitch answered with eleven months, he sighed and repeated what he said before. “Did you forget who Sarah is, Haymitch,” she yelled. “Great now you’re yelling at me,” he murmured, “no, I didn’t Effie, she is the daughter of President Snow.” “And you say that she is using you for your money and her father is the president? Clearly you aren’t thinking,” Effie said in a gentler voice. Haymitch just sighed and said never mind then asked how he could get Sarah to love him back. “Just tell her that you love her and show that you really do,” Effie said quietly, “now go before she starts to worry.” Haymitch nodded and went home. Characters * Sarah Abernathy * Amy Abernathy * Haymitch Abernathy * Amy Abernathy * Effie Trinket